‘Social justice is vital to create vibrant economy in Sri Lanka’: Dr. Harsha de Silva

Dr. Harsha at the Rotarian function

In his address to the Rotarians recently, Dr. Harsha de Silva shared a few insights from the UNP election manifesto on the economy. “We have re-written the plan for a vibrant, growth focused economy with our election manifesto. There have been so many people who contributed to our effort and I want to thank them all,” he said in his address.

As a Rotarian himself and the only Charter member from Colombo to be contesting at the general election Dr. de Silva expressed his sentiments about the state of the economy during the previous regime. “Children dropping out of school because they cannot go beyond O/Ls..parents worried about their children – the furthest they could go then is to get a lease and buy a three wheeler but that’s not where their dreams are. They cherish the same dreams everyone else has – to buy a house, to buy a car or a motorbike, raise a family. We want to give life to those dreams.”

“We will create a knowledge-based highly competitive social market economy. We want people in Anuradhapura empowered to buy shares of blue chip companies here in Colombo. Our vision is an asset owning middle class who can enjoy the dividends of a Sri Lanka that is dynamic and growing.”

“Our biggest foreign exchange earner is the Sri Lankans who toil abroad to send their remittances home. This should not be the case – we do not have to send off our women and men away to engage in back breaking work so that they can send us the dollars we need. We will create jobs that are competitive, that put Sri Lanka on the map as one of the best in the region. We will focus on helping people develop skill sets needed to compete with the rest of the world.”

“The previous government had a haphazard manner of pulling down homes, even homes with deeds, in the name of town planning. We believe in providing good living spaces for families but not by pulling down existing houses. The people will be moved into planned, well co-ordinated housing estates that will form successful private-public partnerships. “

Dr. de Silva stressed that the structure of the EPF/ETF will be modified in order to provide a better yield and fuel housing opportunities, as has been done in Singapore. “Pension funds must be utilised in the right manner,” he added, “that will yield results for the people.”